Water. It’s the most important natural resource on earth. We need it for everything. We need it to survive. Without water, life (and, yes, golf!) are not possible. And, of course, we have a limited supply of it. Wasting it is not wise. The future of the human race depends on our ability to manage it well.
And, when it comes to the golf industry, there is no other “issue” that is more important – perhaps more worrisome – than water. It’s been this way for years and, if we keep going on the same trajectory, it’s only going to get worse. Ask any golf course superintendent on the planet, the subject of water – where to get it, the cost, the quality, etc. – is constantly on their mind. Making smarter decisions on how to manage this precious resource is paramount. And, for this reason, companies such as Magnation – “The Leader in Chemical-Free Water Softening Treatment” – are fast-becoming key “players” in the water “game.”
Of course, water – as the turf on thousands of golf courses around the world will testify (if it could) – is not created equal. As the saying goes, “Water is water except when it isn’t.” The value of rainwater – soft, pure, nutrient-rich, perfectly pH balanced H₂O from the heavens – far outweighs, outperforms, the “stuff” we typically spray from irrigation pipes.
Unless it’s “softened,” irrigation water is typically loaded with hard-water molecule clusters that are full of minerals and gasses. Not only does this hard water cause excess scale build-up and corrosion in the irrigation system (not to mention more friction, more energy use, and more irrigation breaks!), but the quality of the turf will suffer. Dry spots, poor moisture retention, poor soil quality, tied-up nutrients, high salt levels, unhealthy turf colour, and so on, are “normal” problems associated when untreated irrigation water is used. Bottom line, your turf will not, to borrow a U.S. Army slogan, “be all that it can be.”
“Sadly, many superintendents are accustomed to only treating the symptoms,” says Mike Jenzeh, CEO and President of Magnation, “and they don’t address the root of the problem, which is poor water quality. Adding more fertilizer, watering more often, hand-watering dry spots, using chemicals to counter a salt problem, overusing wetting agents, these are typically just Band-Aid solutions. The only way to really solve the problem, permanently, is by fixing the water. And, with Magnation, this fix is surprisingly simple.”
Yes, rain-like water is where it’s at. And, through their unique filtration systems, that’s what Magnation Water Technologies is in the business of providing.
So what, exactly, are the benefits for golf courses using water with rain-like characteristics? Magnations softened, rain-like water more easily penetrates the soil, helps the soil retain moisture, stimulates soil nutrients, enhances plant growth, reduces irrigation requirements by 20%, and much more. Golf courses actually save water – and money! – by making their water work much more efficiently for their turf.
How is this done? Thanks to their relatively small, sleek and robust passive, inline systems (they are typically installed in pipes, but can also be fitted for hoses, sprinklers, irrigation heads, and so forth), which are engineered with specially calibrated magnetic resonators and geometry in a top quality casing, previously unusable saline water is transformed. Essentially, the water is turned to water with the life-giving characteristics of rain. It becomes soft, productive, and energized water that will improve soil infiltration, bust salts, and improve overall soil health.
Although often skeptical at first, numerous superintendents and turf industry professionals from around North America are now touting the virtues of using a Magnation system. The ROI is typically one year and the maintenance-free, chemical-free, energy-free system’s expected lifespan is up to 20 years. The company also offers a two-year money back guarantee.
“We reduced our wetting agent and fertility inputs by 25%,” says Dean Piller, Golf Course Superintendent at the Cordova Bay GC in British Columbia, Canada. “We reduced our hand-watering and we also reduced the amount of water we needed to purchase from the municipality by 15%. We have experienced substantial savings on our budget. Savings in water, savings in labor, savings in wetting agents and fertilizers.”
The substantial savings in water is, undoubtedly, one of the most attractive aspects of using Magnation products. For example, at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Colorado, 6.5 million gallons of water were saved in 2017 by using the Magnation system.
“During one of the driest and hottest seasons on record, we ended up saving an average of 80,000 gallons of water per night. That’s 2.4 million gallons of water over the course of a month. Needless to say, we’re extremely pleased with the results,” says Piller.
Jason Hooper, the Golf Course Superintendent at the Quilchena Golf & Country Club, also in British Columbia, has a similar story. “We incorporated Magnation on our hand-watering hoses this year and observed a remarkable improvement in infiltration rates and a significant reduction in localized dry spots. The results were instantaneous. I was skeptical at first, but now I can say with confidence that Magnation does make a difference.”
Obviously, many other industries – agriculture, landscape, residential, industrial, etc. – are benefiting with Magnation’s technologies as well. (According to Jenzeh, the golf industry and sports turf management is close to their hearts but just a minor portion of their business.) One commercial business, which installed a system in their central water system, noticed their entire plumbing system – including toilets, sinks, taps, and so on – was performing better. And, with fewer deposits in the water, even their coffee was tasting better!
But, ultimately, every superintendent wants to wake up in the morning (with good coffee!) and realize that the turf he/she is responsible for is healthy and holding up well. Those nagging problems – such as dry spots, salinity, poorly performing irrigation equipment, and unhealthy turf – are what makes sleep (and job security!) a worrisome issue.
With Magnation’s chemical-free water softening treatment systems, you can do more with considerably less. Our most precious resource, water, is conserved, money is saved, and your turf “can be all that it can be.” And that’s a slogan both soldiers and superintendents can get behind.
